Previous page . On the other side of the car were numerous plants resembling canna and a skipper larva was quite common, living in a tent created by folding a piece of the leaf over, secured with silk. A dagger-wing (Marpesia chiron) drank from the tire rut at the edge of the river. . Finally the water cleared enough for me to see where I had to go to stay out of deep water. In four-wheel drive, I gunned it and got across without incident. One deep mud hole further down the road gave me a little concern but the vehicle did me well. I proceeded to the beach at the end of the road. .. . The first thing one notices at Puesta Argelia are the lizards. False iguanas, Ctenesaurus similis were quite abundant, basking in the sun in the parking lot and other open areas. They seemed as common as squirrels in northern campgrounds. They had apparently had a good spring since there were also numerous youngsters that were only a few weeks old. These are quite green to blend in with the flush of new growth. Like C. hemilopha in Sonora, Mexico, they are the more cryptic gray by the time leaves fall in the dry season. There were also whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus) and spiny lizards (Sceloporus). . .. .. .. From the parking area was a trail through a tent camping area and picnic ground leading to the beach. It was sprinkling lightly as I made my way to the bright end of the trail. A Haematoxylon caught my eye. This tree, with its deeply convoluted trunk is one of my favorites. This particular one was home to yet another species of stingless bee. . . Playa Naranjo was deserted, the tide nearly out, exposing the gently sloping sandy beach. I snapped a couple of photos and hastened back to the cover of the canopy where I would have a little protection from the rain. . . After chatting a while with a ranger rebuilding a chainsaw, I headed back along the same road, stopping now and then to take photos, especially of those plants and vistas that reminded me of Sonora. The terrestrial bromeliad was familiar, as were the mangroves. . . . Another familiar face here was that of Crinotes (Notodontidae), a moth that is common in southern Sonora. I had seen adults at Sergio's so it did not surprise me to encounter these larvae. Notodontids typically raise both ends of their body when disturbed. I found these larvae in numerous places along the road so am able to show you different instars, postures and color variations. . . . . . I stopped briefly at headquarters for an ice cream sandwich and headed back to the highway. It was now about 2:00 and I had decided I would go to Playa Grande, one of several beaches protected in the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste about 75 miles to the south. I was enjoying my adventure! .